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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163675">Defying All The Odds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hunger Games, M/M, No Smut?, dreamnotfound, i will add tags as the story goes on lol, skephalo if you squint</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:21:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"May the odds be ever in your favour!" The cheery voice echoed throughout the eerily silent crowd as the pounding in his ears grew louder. For a second he thought he had stopped breathing, because he could feel the metaphorical ropes coiling around his lungs tighten and his head going numb. The porcelain white mask felt heavier on his face and the weight on his shoulders grew almost unbearable.</p><p>'That's just it- that was the problem,' Clay thought as he took a sharp intake of breath, swallowing the thick lump in his throat. 'The odds were never in their favour.'</p><p> </p><p>OR: the hunger games au no one asked for but got anyway.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Defying All The Odds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HEY LOL this is so unedited but I'm an impulsive piece of shit and I can't stop myself. Anyway, I'm sorry if the characters are a bit ooc I'm quite new to the fandom. I also apologize if I have any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, I'll probably end up writing most of these in the middle of the night. I hope y'all will actually enjoy this because holy shit, I have a lot planned :D.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were instances in Clay's life when he felt as though he was being suffocated. As if the air was being forcefully squeezed out of his lungs by ropes he can't seem to untangle, by ropes he can't even <em>see. </em></p><p>There were times when there was an overbearing weight in his chest that he can't lift, and there were times he wished he'd shrivel up into nothing and disappear off the face of the Earth. There were times that the invisible hands wrapped around his neck were too tight, and the mask covering his face was a little too difficult to breathe in.</p><p>It was times like this when Clay wished he could find a way to lift the boulders weighing him down, keeping him restrained and locked in place as if he was prey waiting to get slaughtered.</p><p>The boy ran his slim fingers through his blond hair and leaned back against the dark oak wood. Through the tiny holes in his porcelain white mask, he could see the dim lights keeping District 6 illuminated as the moon sank into the horizon to make way for the sun. The cool breeze blew past him and the birds perched on the branches of the trees flew with the wind. His axe was placed on the grass he sat cross-legged on and a dead rabbit was tied up and stashed into the pouch resting next to his weapon.</p><p>It was a silent morning, probably the quietest it's been in months. Although it was not the type of silence you could sit with and relax. It was the type of silence you wished would end, the type of silence that made you want to rip your ears out. It was quiet. <em>Too quiet</em>. It boggled Clay's mind. He was sure everyone else in the district were in a state that was just as bad.</p><p>He heard rustling coming from the bushes behind his spot. He instinctively reached for his axe, his muscles tensing and the pounding in his ears growing louder. He shifted to look at the source of the sound, and relief immediately filled his system when a pair of dark, cool irises locked with his own. A soft chuckle sounded in his ears and his grip on the weapon loosened.</p><p>"Is that an axe in your hand or are you just happy to see me?" An easy grin spread across the boy's face. Clay watched the other male approach him, the white bandana wrapped around his head keeping his messy black locks in place. Clay didn't respond, looking away from the boy. Though he felt the corners of his lips quirk up. "G'morning, Sapnap," He greeted softly.</p><p>"Nah, I've had better mornings." He joked. The blond felt the other boy crouch beside him, nudging his shoulder with an arm. "Scoot over," He mumbled. Clay obliged, letting his friend sit next to him.</p><p>Then it was silent again. Sapnap—that was not actually his real name, it was more of a nickname Clay had given him years ago that had stuck with him ever since— pulled his knees to his chest, leaning back on the tree trunk and exhaling. "Dude, you can take off your mask." Clay tensed. Self-consciousness seeped into his system.</p><p>"We're the only ones here, y'know," Sapnap reassured.</p><p>Clay nodded slowly, "Yeah, I know. I just..." He trailed off.</p><p>Sapnap shot him a languid smile, "I get it." The blond breathed out, resting his head on his best friend's shoulder. Together they sat on the hill, watching the sunrise and lamppost after lamppost flicker off. The metal walls surrounding District 6 stood tall, casting a shadow over the small town.</p><p>"Well, you're awfully quiet. Got a lot on your mind?" Sapnap broke him out of his train of thought.</p><p>"A lot more than your tiny brain can handle," Clay quipped. The boy snorted, smacking him playfully. "Bitch," He retorted. A half-hearted laugh left Clay's lips as he adjusted his mask.</p><p>"Are you ready for today?" Sapnap asked once he had calmed down. The blond shook his head tiredly, "Not in the slightest." Sap's voice held understanding and the same amount of anxiousness as his. Still, he managed a small chuckle, nudging his best friend with his elbow. "That makes us both." He hummed in thought, "What about Drista? Is she okay?"</p><p>Clay frowned a little. "She won't tell me anything, but I heard her crying the other night. She's scared she might get picked. I'm worried about her," Came his quiet reply. "I figured," Sapnap sighed, "It's okay, though, right? People her age don't usually get picked, and her name was only put in once. She'll be fine." He reassured the anxious boy. Clay silently thanked whatever deity above for letting him have someone like Sap in his life. Although he still doubted his sister's safety— <em>everyone's </em>safety, he was somewhat comforted by Sapnap's words.</p><p>"I hope so," Clay muttered, getting into a more comfortable position as he pressed against his best friend's side. Suddenly, he felt the boy shifting, his arms moving down to his right, rummaging through the small worn-out pouch tied around his waist. "Hey, on the bright side, I got us something," He pulled out a small loaf of bread. Clay perked up.</p><p>To anyone who lived out of the districts, this wouldn't seem like much. But money was tight where Clay lived, and a single piece of bread costed so much more than you'd think. The blond blinked once, then twice, slightly dumfounded.</p><p>"Holy fuck<em>,</em> Sap. How did you get this? Is it real?" He asked, watching Sapnap split the bread in half as he grinned sheepishly.</p><p>"Yeah? It better be, 'cause I had to trade a squirrel for it."</p><p>Clay felt the corners of his mouth tilt up. "<em>Shit</em>, dude," He chuckled softly, taking the other half from Sapnap's hand. He lifted the white mask of his face a little, taking the bread between his teeth and chewing. Sapnap seemed satisfied with himself, a pleased look crossing his features as he ate his own piece. "Happy Hunger Games."</p><p>"<em>And may the odds be ever in your favor</em>," Clay imitated, his voice going up a few octaves higher as he switched to a slightly posh accent. They ate in silence, leaning against the tree as they watched the blinding sun rise in the distance.</p><p>Clay was the first to break the silence that lingered. "I think my name was voted in 10 times," He mumbled, stuffing the last bit of bread into his mouth. His eyes wandered to meet Sapnap's. "You?" He asked.</p><p>Sapnap looked away, picking at the weeds below him. He didn't answer for a couple of seconds, and Clay could sense the distress rolling off him in huge waves. "22," He muttered eventually.</p><p>Clay's mouth hung open, he tried to find the right words to console his friend, but his mind had gone blank and his spirits have lowered even more. He settled for pressing his forehead against Sap's shoulder and linking their right and left arms together.</p><p>"Fuck," He mumbled. Sapnap let out a dry laugh, resting his head on top of Clay's. "I guess the odds aren't in <em>my</em> favor, huh?"</p><p>Clay frowned, squeezing his arm gently. "It's gonna be fine." <em>He hoped he was right.</em></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>When Clay had hiked home with Sapnap in tow, the heavy feeling in his chest had eased up, leaving him with little gaps to let the air flow in and the tension to squeeze out. Sapnap had tried to lift his mood to the best of his abilities, cracking shitty jokes and letting him practice his aim on unsuspecting animals. By the time noon rolled around, they had gathered enough food to feed their families for days.</p><p>"Y'know, the offer's still up!" Sapnap called out as Clay chopped down the branch that was blocking his way.</p><p>"I'm not running away with you, Sap," Clay grunted. Sapnap huffed, "At least reconsider it. We could go wherever we wanna go once we're out of the district. We could start a new life in the woods n' shit, and we won't be forced to participate in those stupid games anymore." Clay rolled his eyes, "Can you imagine Drista in the woods?" Sapnap hummed, "Well, sure, she's pretty quick on her feet."</p><p>"Pretty quick to jump on your bullshit too," Clay supplied. Sapnap tried not to seem offended, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "So she's a clever girl, whatever." Clay chuckled, the marketplace coming into view. He gripped the pouch in his hand, eyeing it.</p><p>"You gonna trade?" Sapnap's voice seemed closer now, he was standing behind Clay. The blond shrugged, "I could bring something home for Dris before the reaping." The raven-haired boy hummed in response, taking him by the arm and dragging him towards the the direction of the marketplace.</p><p>They stumbled out of the trees and clumsily ran past several coal-miners. They squeezed into the crowd flooding the market place. They visited every booth, and Clay had eventually traded a dead bird he'd targeted along the way for a couple of coins, which he still hasn't spent. It was almost past noon now, which meant that the reaping was to happen in 4 hours or less. Clay tried his best to get his mind off the situation, enjoying the time he had with his best friend.</p><p>Eventually they had wandered off to a small booth on the edge of the market, it was nearly touching the walls. There were trinkets and figurines of all sorts piling up on the small wooden table. It was cramped, but something was able to catch Clay's eye. The blond held up a small, silver pin. It seemed slightly rusty, but he was able to make out the patterns that were imbedded into the metal. A single arrow and a bird. He eyed it carefully, tracing the patterns gently with the tip of his fingers. "Ah, a mockingjay," The voice of an old woman caused him to jolt.</p><p>Clay coughed, adjusting his mask awkwardly. "How much for this?" He questioned. The elderly woman studied him, her gaze moving between the pin between his fingers and the mask covering his face. She then shook her head, smiling a little. "You can have it for free, son," She spoke. Clay looked down at the pin, smiling gratefully before he quickly realized that she can't see him. He settled for a simple 'thank you' before he stuffed the pin into the pockets of his coat.</p><p>His eye caught Sapnap, who was yet again bargaining with another trader. Clay, unamused, grabbed him by the arm and apologized to the seemingly bothered seller. Sapnap whined and protested, but Clay ignored him. Soon they were heading out of the marketplace and padding back to the path that led to their homes, with their shared laughs lingering in the wind and their minds free from the knowledge of what was to come next.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please omg I hope that wasn't too bad?? Or anything?? Ahh literally so nervous to post this, I would really appreciate the feedback &lt;333 I'll try to update in a bit again, I'll see you guys :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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